Split roller bearings



Jan. 19, 1965 s. KAY 3,166,363

sPLIT ROLLER BEARINGS Filed Aug. 15, 1962 4 SheetS-Sheet 1 23 FIC-3.4. FIG 2 20 12 Jan. 19, 1965 s. KAY 3,166,363

SPLIT ROLLER BEARINGS Filed Aug. 15, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG 5 Jan- 19, 1965 s. KAY 3,166,363

SPLIT ROLLER BEARINGS med Aug. 15, 1882 4 sheets-sneet a FIG. 8. BT

3 1 30"- 2o-3Ql24 FIG.7. 12 12 Jan. 19, 1965 s. KAY

sPLI'r ROLLER BEARINGS Filed Aug. 15'. 1982 FIG. 10.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent O 3,166,363 SPLIT ROLLER BEARINGS Sydney Kay, deceased, late of Norfolk, England, by Sydney Pifficld Kay, executor, Bexley, England, assignor to Cooper Roller Bearings Company Limited, Norfolk, England, a British company Filed Aug. 15, 1962, Ser. No. 217,211 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Aug.` 24, 1961,

30,558/ 61 1 Clairn. (Cl. 308-207) This invention relates to split roller bearings having an inner race which is split to` form two semi-circular parts to facilitate assembly on la shaft, an outer race which is similarly split, and a cage located between these races and holding the rollers in spaced relationship circumferentially of the races. w

It is usual to provide a shaft at opposite ends thereof with two types of such bearings, viz. a locating type and a non-locating type, the former holding the shaft against axial movement while the latter permits a certain axial float to 'accommodate expansion and contraction of the shaft due, for example, to Variation of temperature or to shaft deflection. It is known-to provide the locating type of bearing with clamping rings for clamping the split inner race on the shaft 'but various difiiculties are experienced with known designs. First, the locating bearing is longer axially than the non-locating bearing so that housings of different sizes are required whereas it would be advantageous to be able to make housings all of the same size for either kind of bearing. Moreover, difliculty is experienced in locating the races and 'bearings axially in relation to each other without .axial displacement causing friction between moving parts. Still further difliculties arise in production in relation to ease of machining, grinding and hardening.

The object of the invention is to provide improved bearings `of the locating kind.

According to the invention the bearing comprises an inner race split into two semi-circular parts, an outer race split into two semi-circular parts, rollers between the races, a cage for locating the rollers in spaced relationship circumferentially of the races, and annular clamping means similarly split and located on each side of the inner race, the axial length of the inner race being the same as or smaller than the axial length between the outer faces of the clamping means, said clamping means being located axially on the inner race, means for holding the parts of the clamping means and inner race together and preventing relative axial displacement of these parts, first inwardly directed abutment snrfaces integrally formed on said clamping means and flame hardened to resist wear, serving for axial location against the rollers, and second inwardly directed abutment surfaces integrally formed on the outer race parts for axial location against the rollers. The axial location may be accomplished by providing annular grooves in the outer surface of the inner race spaced from the ends of the race and engaged by annular ribs or projections on the clamping means. Alternatively the split clamping means may be integral with the inner race parts.

Constructional forms of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side view, partly in section, of one construction of a bearing made in accordance with the inventon;

FIGURE 2 is a side view, partly in section, of a second construction of a bearing made in accordance with the inventon;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional elevation, taken on line of FIGURE 2;

P ICC FIGURE 4 is a side view, partly in section, of a third construction of the bearing made in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 5 is a side view, partly in section, of a fourth construction of the bearing made in accordance with the inventon;

FIGURE 6 is a side view, partly in section, of a fifth construction of the'bearing made in accordance with the inventon;

FIGURE 7 is a side view, partly in section, of a sixth construction of the bearing made in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 8 is a side view, partly in section, of a seventh construction of the bearing made n accordance with the inventon;

FIGURE 9 is a sectional elevation taken on line B-B of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 10 is a side view partly -in section of another construction of the bearing in accordance with the inven'tion;

FIGURE 11 is a front sectional elevation taken on center line C-C of FIGURE 10.

In the figures, 10 and 11 are split semi-crcular inner race parts; 12 and 13 are split semi-circular outer race parts; In FIGURES 1 to 6, 14 and 15 are split clamping means in the form of split ring parts, made separate from the inner race. R'ollers 20 are located between the inner and outer races and are held in spaeed relationship circumferemtially of the races by a cage 21. The lines of split 31 of the inner race are at an angle to the axisof thebearing and grooves 16, 17 are machined and ground'in the exterior surface of the 'inner race. These grooves are spaced from the ends of the race and receive correspondingly shaped -annular ribs or projecttions 18, 19 on the clamping rings. The clamping rings are made of a flame hardending steel. The projections 18, 19 rigidly position the clamping rings 14, 15

'for the axial loading and positioning set up through the rollers 20. The inner race has an unchanging outer diameter except for (the grooves 16, 17 so that it can easily be machined and ground. The clamping rings are formed with integral annular lips or flanges 6, 7, the inner surfaces 8, 9 of whiehform a pair of annular abu'tment surfaces locating axially against the rollers. These surfaces are flame hardened.

In FIGURE 1 the grooves and projections are 'tapered in cross-section. In vFIGURE 2 the grooves and projections have sides parallel to each other and to the ends of the races. Screws 23, 24 and 25, 26 disposed on chords of the circular races serve to clamp the clamping ring parts 14, 15 together and in FIGURES 1 and 2 these screws are in the planes of the projections 18, 19. In FIGURE 4, the projections and grooves are offset in- Wardly from the planes of the screws 23-26 so that the inner surfaces of the projections 18 are contiguous with the abutment surfaces 8, 9.

In FIGURE 5, the clamping rings have tapered bores. The inner race has a taper ground on each end, i.e. the groove is of varying diameter with its deepest part innermost and the clamping ring, when tightened up on the taper 'will pull down and mate with the Vertical face of the inner race. The thrust face of the clamping ring then forms a true ring against which the rollers 20 can run and the thrust taken through the rollers is transmihted to this face.

In FIGURE 6 the grooves are formed as "still threads and are ground on each end of rthe inner race. The ribs or projections on the clamping rings 14, 15 are in |the form of threads corresponding to the threads on the inner race and these mate together when ftightened up. Here again the thrust set up through the rollers 20 is transmitted to the Vertical face 8, 9 of the clamping ring.

`The dowels 30 fit tightly in bores in both parts.

In FIGURE 8 movement between ithe two halves of the inner race is eliminated by meansv of a tenon joint.

, At each engaging position one end is provided with a groove 32 andl the other half with a tongue 33.

- In FIGURES' 10 and 11 movement'between the two' halves of the inner race is elirninated by means of halfmoon or Woodruff` keys 34. i These keys may be positioned at any part of each joinl't.

The split outer race part 13 is provided with a V- shaped indenti35 at one end and a corresponding shape projection (not shown) alt its other end. The outer race part 12 is similarly provided with an indent and a projection and the two parts are arra'nged so'that 'the projection of each part mates With lthe indent of the other part. The outer race 12, 13 has 'inwardly facing annular abutment surfaces 40, 41.

The bearing -is contained in a housing 42 shown onl-y in FIGURE fl and because of the construction of the bearing this housing'can now be exactly the same for a non-'locating bearing of similar loading.

A roller bearing comprising an inner race split into two approximately semi-circular parts alonglines* olf split that are at an angle toV .the axis of the bearing, an outer race split into 'two approximately semi-c'ircular parts along lines of split that are at an angle to the axis of the bearing, cylindrical rollers located radially between the races and having their axes parallel to 'the axisU of the bearing, a cage for locating the rollers in spaced'relationship circumferentially of the races, the cage'having portions disposed axially, beyond both ends of the irollers,

annular clamping means splitt into ring parts and located on each side of the inner race, said inner race having an axial length which is no greater than the axial length between the outer faces of said clamping means, screw means having substantial clearance with one of said ring parts for clamping 'the ring parts together tightly on the inner race, means positively locating said ring parts in both tdirecrtions axially on the :inner race, at least one integral annular lip on each 'ring part extending inwardly past adjacent cage vparts into contact with the rollers, said ring pants' being composed of hardenable steel, said lips being hardened at least where they contact the rollers, means having interengaging surfaces substantially normal to the axis of the bearing positively locating said inner race parts against axial displacement relative to each other in both directions, and inwardly direoted aburtment surfaces on the outer race parts for axial vlocation against the rollers.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 799,471 9/05 Kincaid 308-216 991,862 5/11 Lockwood 308-236 XR 1,024,344 4/12 LangevinV 308-236 XR 1,116,845 11/14 Roger-s 308-236 1,220,633 3/17 Hirth 308-236 XR l,644,611 10/27 Rieifert 308-216 XR 2,048,972 7/36 Scheffler 308-236 XR 2,528,987 11/50 Ablett 308-216 FOREIGN PATENTS 132,423 5/49 Australia.

432,621 12/11 France.

446,569 2/48 Canada.

ROBERT C. RroRDoN, Primary Examz'nr. FRANK sUsKo, Examz'ner. 

